that includes social services, education, research, and infrastructure. all the things we need to grow our fragile economy. the act of the office of management and budget discretion and flexibility to recommend what programs and what agencies and accounts to cut. if omb fails to do the job, the sequestration cuts kick back in. of course, the final word is with us here in congress. any decision can be overridden by a joint resolution. every provision of the act is familiar to the senate -- in fact, at one time or another nearly every feature of this plan has been offered by both republicans and democrats, including president obama and speaker boehner. all i have done is pooled them together -- a compassionate alternative to what happens if we go over the fiscal cliff. true, from the very beginning i have favored a comprehensive solution to put our fiscal house in order. something along the lines of the bowles-simpson planned. perhaps this will not only soften the blow, but also give us a sense of urgency about a grand bargain to repair our fragile house. i